The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-04-13

house, but Jane could not secure any of
their garments at that hour without at
tracing suspicion. Yet Albert must
have warm clothing and chance to dry
his soaked coverings, or he might as well
be trudging across country to his house.
After a moment-"Miss Hildreth,"
said Jane solemnly, and then she drew
her mistress to a corner of the room and
whispered to her. They both blushed,
looked askance at Albert's back, then
whispered again, giggled little, and
finally decided that it must be done.
Hildreth, however, exclaimed in fright
ened aspirate:
"But he is so tall p
Nonsense p replied Jane determin-
edly; "twon't do him any harm to show
his heels bit. 'Taint as If twas either
of us, miss"
"But can't tell him." persisted Hill
dretb, blushing still more deeply----.ssss
"Well, / can and WILL said Jane.
So the domestic went up to the young
man and said in straightforward way:
"Mr. Morton, you've got to have a
change and will have to put up with the
best we can do for you. am going to
Miss Hildreth's, and by putting one over
buC OtliCA anu Wrapping a AOOoC AOWh
over all, and putting q shawl round your
shoulders, you can be quite comfortable
and the looks won't matter"
Then the young man blushed also, but
in the next instant he smiled, and in the
next all three fell to laughing. Jane
hustled out of the room and presently
hustled in again with an armful of femi-
nine drapery and some big towels.
"There," she said, "be sensible and
get into them"
The girls thereupon withdrew, and
Albert proceeded to make the best of the
situation.
When Jane and her mistress re-entered
the boudoir they knew not whether to
laugh or tremble. Hildreth was anxious
about her lovers health and distracted
with grief at his interview with her
father Albert, however, who was blue
enough when he came into the room, had
gained heart from the warmth of the fire
and was disposed to be cheerful. So they
all laughed again, but softly, for fear of
alarming somebody. Albert was thor
oughly, though not beautifully, clad in
skirts and gowns. The loose wrapper
just buttoned around his chest. His
lower extremities were covered by the
upper two-thirds of pair of long brown
stockings, the feet of which tapped at
the end of his toes. His own clothes
were distributed on the backs of chairs
before the fire. 1t was certainly very
funny, but happily effective. They began
to enjoy the situation. Jane bethought
herself that Hildreth had had no tea and
that Albert might be hungry, and started
to go for some provisions. A knock at
the door stopped her and she turned very
pale. No one spoke and the knock was
repeated =,
voice, and the knob was turned. The
door yielded and Hildreth's father en-
tered.
Hildreth," he said, we've been look
ing for you"
He stopped right there and stared in
blank establishment at the strange figure
by the fire. Jane turned away, Hildreth
began to cry, and Albert simply looked
blankly back at the father.
eHow is this, sir" exclaimed the father
in terrible voice, incorporating in my
daughters room after have forbidden
you the housef"
"Oh, papap Hildreth sobbed, coming
up to him and putting her arms around
his neck, che isn't masquerading at all;
he fell into the pond and he would have
caught his death cold, and / love him,
papa and can't love anybody else, and
he had to get warm somehow, and l just
took him here; he didn't want to come,
and please take back what you said this
afternoon, papa dear, please do; it wasn't
his fault"
Papa looked grimly at his daughter
after this and then, turning to Albert,
said sternly:
"You fell into the pond, eh2"
Eyes, sir" replied Albert plainly, Il
did"
"And that is how you show Difference
to my wishes, is it?"
my dear sir, I'-began Albert earn
estly.
ole didn't mean to, papa, interrupted
Hildreth
"Ohi he didn'tmean to Ell? Welr'- and
papa looked once more at Albert. The
young mansearnest, anxious expression
and respectful demeanor fitted so incon-
gruously with his garb that faint
twitching came to the corners of papa's
mouth.
"Er--Jane," he said, ego and find
Thomas and tell him to bring this gentle
man suit of mans clothes. Hildreth,
come with me; want to talk with you"
A half hour later Albert, looking again
like man, but still in garments that
failed to fit, entered the library of the
great mansion.
"Mr. de Grote," he said quietly, II want